When Rhamondre Stevenson touches the ball, neither Bill Belichick nor Patriots fans have to worry about the sophomore running back putting it on the ground.
That wasn’t the case early last season when Stevenson in Week 1 lost a fumble on just the second touch of his New England career. The then-rookie, who fumbled three times in college and once during his first NFL preseason, then got benched for the rest of the game and was a healthy scratch the next three weeks.
But Stevenson hasn’t lost a single fumble since and only once has put the ball on the ground (Week 15 of last season). Belichick on Tuesday praised the sophomore back for his remarkable improvement.
“We talk about ball security every day,” the Patriots head coach said. “Certainly, Rhamondre has taken that to heart. His ball security has become very, very good and it’s not just the balls that come out, it’s all the time. It’s how the ball is handled and carried. Whether the player is running in practice, whether he’s getting tackled or whether he’s in the open field and seemingly no one’s around him. But we all know in the National Football League, if you have the ball, there’s going to be a lot of people after you and they’re going to be coming fast and in a hurry.
“So, ball security is at the utmost, at the top of the list. He’s been a great example of someone who’s improved their ball security tremendously, takes a lot of pride in it and again, the thing is, you see it every time he touches the ball. Not just on gameday and not just when someone’s trying to rip it away, but he keeps it very secure all the time. He’s done a real good job of that.”
In addition to becoming a more secure ball carrier, Stevenson has emerged as one of the best all-around running backs in the NFL.
The 2021 fourth-round pick currently ranks second on the Patriots with 35 receptions. Receiver Jakobi Meyers is first with 40. Additionally, Stevenson owns the second-best Pro Football Focus receiving grade among all running backs, as well as the ninth-best pass-blocking grade.
He’ll look to continue his excellent season on Sunday, Nov. 20, when New England hosts the New York Jets.
